Rape occurs when a person has engaged in sexual activity with another that has not given consent. According to the website of the Nashville sex offense lawyer Brent Horst, rape is a Class B Felony, with a fine of up to $25,000 and prison sentence of up to 30 years. It is even worse if the rape has involved coercion, force, or weapons, because it can be elevated into aggravated rape, which has elevated fines and prison sentences too, of up to $50,000 and 60 years.
These are just for the state of Tennessee, but they give you a clear idea on how devastating the consequences are for convicted rapists. But how can rape happen? It can happen in various instances, even on scenarios where it is not as obvious.

Through Force

One of the most known way rape can occur is through physical power, like when a stranger suddenly goes up into an unsuspecting woman and forces himself into her to satisfy his sexual needs. Due to its blatant nature, it is also the easiest case to win, because of the likely availability of physical evidence, like wounds.

Through Threat

Not all rape cases involve blatant use of strength. Many rape cases involve victims who are forced to give in to the sexual advances of the suspected rapist because the suspected rapist has made threats. Threats may come in many forms, but usually, they involve warnings of harm to the victim or the victim’s loved ones, if he or she fails to comply to the suspected rapist’s sexual demands.

Without Consent

One of the most important aspects of rape is that the sexual activity is non-consensual. This can occur on two ways. First, the victim may not be legally allowed to give consent because of his or her age, so the sexual activity, even if it technically features two individuals who have done it in their free will, is still legally non-consensual and therefore considered rape.
Second, the victim may be unable to give his or her consent. The best examples of this are individuals who are intoxicated, unconscious, or mentally incapacitated.